


Food is the language of love

by pencilxpaper



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora cries a lot but it's ok, Catra has to find herself, Catra learns to cook, F/F, angst with happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:13:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24879766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pencilxpaper/pseuds/pencilxpaper
Summary: Catra finds adjusting to living in Brightmoon difficult because of her past and needs to make her own way in the world to find who she is before she can return on her own terms. She leaves and discovers she has a hidden talent for the culinary arts, and also the discipline and organization to run a kitchen.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 216





	Food is the language of love

**Author's Note:**

> This is because I love angst with a happy ending. Also, if Adora gets cartography, Catra needs a hobby too, and I can't think of a better fit than the food industry. I’m also a nut for people calling their loved ones bad names in an affectionate way, so please read all those as loving. Also, I think it’s important for people to realize that sometimes love is giving the people you care for space to figure themselves out. This is not Beta read, so any feedback would be helpful.

It started when they got back to Brightmoon. The looks the guards gave her. The looks the people gave her. On the ship, it was easy to pretend that everything that happened before was forgiven and forgotten, but back on Etheria the time away had done nothing to change their minds.

"I can't blame them. If I was the head of the guard I'd put me in jail." Catra poked a fork at her eggs.

"I could make you the head of the guard!" Glimmer looked excited like she was all too happy to force her guards to accept the former enemy.

"Please don't. I'd have to put myself in jail."

"You know the only jail we have is the extra bedroom." Bow said between bites of bacon.

Catra sighed long and hard. “I guess my first job would be to build a jail.”

“Sounds like a really good plan,” Glimmer nudged with a grin.

“So I could put myself in it...” Catra added with a sigh.

Bow put his hand on Catra’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. They’ll get used to you. They just need time. I can understand why you might not want to force it.” He shot Glimmer a disapproving look at that last part.

Glimmer huffed.

Catra put down her fork. Adora’s friends had been great. They accepted her the moment Adora decided to save her, but they were also naive. It was endearing, and it was nice, but it wasn’t true. “I’m not hungry. I’m going to go find Adora.”

Glimmer almost got up to go with her, but Bow put a hand on her shoulder to keep her there. “She needs time he whispered.”

Adora was, as expected, doing morning practice. It was expected because that was her schedule in the Hord, and she had kept it up despite being at Brightmoon for the last two years, and being in space, and currently not having a war to fight in. They had always been told, slow times are the most important to practice in, because if you don’t you get soft, but that was advice for child soldiers in the Evil Horde. A lot of the old advice, old schedule, old routine, Adora had just never given up. Maybe the structure brought her comfort. Catra wondered as she watched Adora practice sparring with one of the guards if sticking to a schedule would make her feel better too.

The match was over, and both were sweating and breathing hard. Adora shook the guard’s hand in thanks with a big stupid grin, ever the magnanimous hero. She made her way to Catra, wiping off with a towel. “Morning!”

Catra waved back, but she couldn’t muster a smile. Something had been eating at her in the back of her mind, and seeing Adora’s big dumb grin made it bubble up to the surface. 

Adora’s smile was gone as she registered Catra’s response. “What’s up? Is something wrong?”

Catra’s chest hurt. It wasn’t the decision, but the look on Adora’s face. That look of concern. That selfless little heart. 

Adora’s look became worried, her tone serious. “Something is wrong.”

Catra reached out for her hands. It was instinctual. She always wanted to touch Adora when she was insecure. “So, do you want the good news or the bad news.” She tried to make it sound casual.

Adora looked so confused. “I guess the good news?”

“The good news is, I’m going to be out of your hair for a while.”

“Why is that good news?”

“It’s not, but the bad news is I can’t stay here.”

Adora’s face went blank. “What do you mean you can’t stay here?”

Catra rubbed Adora’s hand, a small soothing gesture to let Adora know it wasn’t her, but it wasn’t working. She’d have to talk and communicate. “I don’t belong here in the castle.”

“Yes, you do!” Adora moved forward, trying to engulf Catra in a hug, but Catra was too fast and she moved away. “You belong here, with me.” The pain that was evident in Adora’s voice, like she was on the verge of tears. The hug dodging wasn’t helping.

“I get why you feel that.”

“It was hard for me too. It’s just a hard adjustment. Give it time.” Adora settled on just holding Catra’s hand in a pleadingly tight manor.

“It’s not that. The foods great, the rooms are weirdly comfy. I like it here. I just don’t belong here. You belong here because you’re She-ra. The only reason the guards accept me is because of you.” She gave the guard Adora had been sparring with a quick look and received a glare in response.

Adora turned to see it, and the guard shrugged as she quickly turned and walked away.

Catra touched Adora’s face to turn her back to look her in the eye. “It’s not you. It’s not that I don’t want to be here with you. You’re the best part of this place. I just, have to earn my place here. I think I need to live on my own for a bit.” 

Adora’s look became firm. “Then I’ll live with you.”

“Nope. That’s dumb. You’re too important, and you still have enemies. You can’t ask Sparkles and Wonderboy to come, and I think you’re safest with them.”

Adora’s look softened. “That’s actually a very nice thing for you to say.”

Catra moved forward, deciding that the hug wasn’t a bad idea. Adora melted into it. Catra nuzzled Adora’s neck as she whispered, “Look, I’m not leaving you. I’m not running away. I just need my own space, my own things. I need to make a new reputation. If I don’t take the time and do it now, they’ll never accept me.”

Adora hugged her tighter. “Catra, there are people out there who want you dead too.”

“I know. You can’t keep me locked away in a castle for the rest of my life.”

Adora tucked her head into Catra’s shoulder, the wetness of her tears soaking into Catra’s shirt. “I don’t want to lose you. You’re safe here, just like I am.”

“I’m just as likely to get murdered by one of your guards as I am random townsfolk, and honestly, those guards are well trained. I’d rather take my chances with the masses.” It was meant as a joke, to lighten the mood, but it didn’t.

Adora stood there, holding Catra and crying softly, before taking a deep breath and muttering against Catra’s shoulder, “Fine. If that’s what you need to do. I’m not going to like it. I don’t know what to do with myself without you.”

Catra sighed. “Find a hobby. It will keep you busy until I come back.” She pulled away and forced Adora to look her in the eye. She wiped away Adora’s tears and tried to muster a smile. “And I will be back, sooner than you know. I’ll take Melog. You know they’ll keep me safe.”

***  
A week later, and Catra was digging in a dumpster for food in clothes that hadn’t been washed in a week. Melog watched her from the ground, looking serene despite the circumstances. Catra was worried about that. They had looked serene for the past week, despite the discomfort, despite the hunger. Catra was worried, at her core, that it meant she was happier. That was a scary thought. “This was a stupid idea,” She muttered to Melog as she grabbed for a not so terrible looking piece of stale bread. “Living in the lap of luxury. Food handed to you. Servants to do your laundry. I can’t believe I gave that up. I should go back just to clean up and have a meal... but then what? I have to admit this was stupid and I couldn’t do it?” She looked back at Melog, still so serene. “Look at you, acting like nothing’s wrong. I’m hungry, and tired, and dirty.” Her voice cracked, as she felt her eyes welling up with tears. “And I miss Adora and her dumb face.” Melog moved forward, partially in comfort, and partially to help Catra get the extra height to reach the bread. She grabbed it triumphantly. “I don’t want her knowing that THIS is where I ended up after a week on my own.”

Just then, the big metal door next to the dumpster burst open, and Catra screamed as the door hit the dumpster. She and Melog scrambled back, her heart racing and Melog on edge, as a large villager with a white coat glared at her through a massive beard and tusks, and then tossed a very heavy bag of trash into the dumpster with ease. Once he saw the look on her face, his expression softened. With an incredibly soft but deep voice, he offered, “You know dumpster diving is illegal.”

Catra was still holding the bread. She wasn’t going to let it go. She’d rather run with the cops after her than give up a meal. Her desperation was apparent on her face. The man suddenly smiled. “If you’re hungry, you can wash dishes for a meal.”

Catra was going to feign disinterest and keep her dignity when her stomach made the loudest grumble in all her life. Her shoulders fell. She dropped the bread. “Yes please.”

“You can get washed up in the back. I can’t have you touching the clean plates with dirty hands.” He looked at Melog. “Your pet can stay outback. I can’t have pets in the dining room.”

***  
His name was Grog, and he was nice. It turned out, he was in need of a dishwasher and Catra was in desperate need of a job, so Catra’s second week alone wasn’t as bad as the first. She ate well. Very well. “You’re a very good cook.” She said as she stuffed her face with roasted turnips and glazed quail. 

He sat with her at meals, though usually, he didn’t say much. “I’m not a cook, I’m a Chef.”

“No offense, but what’s the difference?”

“Lots of studying. School. I have a degree.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “But even the best most educated and talented Chefs sometimes struggle to make it. The restaurant business is just competitive.” He took a long slow bite, and then a deep breath. “So, you’ve worked here for a week and I don’t know your name, Alley Cat.”

Catra didn’t hate the nickname, and honestly, she’d rather he just keep calling her that. Yet, hiding wasn’t what she was trying to do. “Catra.”

His eyebrows lifted and he looked at her with surprise. “Like, THE Catra?”

“War criminal Catra. Hordak’s right-hand man... woman... person.” She put down her fork, expecting to get yelled at, or kicked out, or worse. When she looked up, Grog’s expression was hard to read.

“You were his logistics person.”

“And his tactician... I practically ran the place while he tinkered with his stupid machines.” She stopped, realizing that she was digging into the whole war criminal thing.

Grog started to smile. Catra sat back, astounded. “That’s not the reaction I thought you’d have.”

His smile changed to a smirk and he leaned forward. “It must take discipline to run an army.”

Catra nodded.

“And cunning.”

Catra nodded.

“And logbooks, and strategy, and math. I’m terrible at math. But you, you ran an army so effective it nearly took out the rebellion.”

It was terrible, but she was still proud of that. It was still an achievement, just a bad one. She was on the wrong side.

“I need someone like you, someone who can stay cool under pressure, who can think clearly when there are hundreds of orders coming in and the kitchen is sweltering. I need someone who can keep the foodstuffs ordered and topped off, who can manage my inventory.” He stuck out an open hand. “What do you say you work for me and do all that stuff so I can focus. My competition is going to be shaking in their shoes when they hear I have Catra working in my kitchen.” His smile was almost devious.

Catra wasn’t going to wait. She took his hand and shook on it. “You’ve got a deal. I’ll defeat your competition like my life depended on it.” She ended the shake and then tried her best to look pitiful. “Can I have an advance on my paycheck? I need a place to stay.”

He shook his finger. “I know better than that. You might run away with the money. Instead, I’ll let you stay here. There’s an apartment on the second floor. You and your pet can stay there till you’ve established yourself, and then you can move off when you have the money.”

“Deal.”

***

The next week was grueling but better. She and Melog had a warm place to sleep, a place to take baths. Plenty of good food to eat. Catra spent her days chopping vegetables, learning the ins and outs of ordering food. She learned how to get the best fish, pick the best leafy greens. She was schooled in good knife technique so by the end of the week she had fewer cuts than when she started. She also learned how much a kitchen can be like a warzone. The cooking staff was flaky, some not even sending word when they weren’t going to show up. It only took a few days of Catra hunting them down, showing that she would find where they lived and drag them to the restraint if they weren’t sick or dying. It was just like enforcing any rule in the Hoard. You had to show a strong hand and an iron will.

Grog had walked in on the last day of the week only to realize that all his staff was there, and busy. He walked into the pantry to find it full and labeled. The vegetables and meat had all been prepped earlier. He found Catra at her station, focused on tending to a pot of bones that looked like it had been simmering all night. He planted a firm pat on her back. “Great job General. If you keep this up, I’ll be able to afford you a raise.”

Catra felt a weird feeling welling up in her chest. Was it pride? Genuine earned, not war crimes pride? It felt hot, like a cast-iron skillet over the high burner.

***  
Catra had lost a sense of time. Her life was waking up, getting dressed, getting out to the market and haggling, and some light threatening to get the best price. She’d come back to the restaurant with a wagon full of fresh food. The kitchen staff started calling her General Catra, and she loved it. She spent lunch service busy checking orders, making sure the staff did things right. There would be a break after lunch to clean up, do dishes, and prepare for dinner. By the time the last customers had left, it was late, and Grog would spend the next hour teaching her techniques and recipes. She’d be exhausted by the time she could lay down with Melog and sleep. Every night though, Melog would smother her with affection because they could tell Catra was lonely. There was no denying it. “I miss Adora.” Tears started welling in her eyes as Melog nuzzled her side. “And I miss everyone else too.” She scratched behind Melog’s magical ears that weren’t quite covered with fur, but they weren’t bare either. “But I can’t go back yet. I feel like, for the first time in my life, instead of taking things away from others, I’m making something, and it’s good.”

***  
Time passed, and her hair got longer, and she put it up in a ponytail to keep it out of the food. It was convenient. Now she understood why Adora did it all the time like she was expecting to have to perform at any moment. Grog got her a chef’s jacket, to be kept clean and crisp for every service. It was white with gold trim.

“We’re going for broke,” He would say. “I want the Brightmoon commission. It’s an easy gig. It pays well. Live in the castle and all that.”

Catra would scoff, but she doubled her efforts every time he brought it up. He could see the glint in her eye when he mentioned it. She became notorious among the culinary crowd. Foodies would start asking to meet her, get autographs. It became a draw for the restaurant.

So she should have seen it coming, the day the Queen of Brightmoon made a reservation. Grog was beside himself. “This is it. This is my one chance to impress her and get out of this dump.”

It wasn’t a dump, but compared to the castle it was. “How many people are on the reservation?” Catra’s stomach clenched at the thought.

“Three.”

It had to be the best friend squad. Adora would be there. There was a mix of excitement and worry in her stomach.

“You know them right? You fought them?”

“I did. I also helped them win.”

“So you’re on good terms?”

She nodded. As far as she knew.

“Great, then we know they’re not coming to arrest you. Get the kitchen ready for a Queen.”

Catra stood up straight, saluted, and went to work.

***  
The Queen and her guests were the last reservation of the night. When they arrived, it was impossible not to know. Everyone was very excited about She-ra, and they cheered. Catra stole a look out the swinging door, only to see Adora- her hair down, blushing, dressed in a simple but formal dress, like the one she wore at princess prom.

Grog saw the blush on Catra’s face and when she walked back, between sending out dishes he gave her a knowing grin. She got back to her station.

The orders came in for the Queen’s table and the discipline that Catra had worked so hard to develop in her team kicked into high gear. The searing was perfect. The doneness tested. The sauces were immaculate. The desert was Catra’s creation, and she sent it out with a feeling of exhaustion coming over her.

A few minutes later, and the call came from the waitstaff. The queen wanted to see the Chef.

Catra’s ears fell. He would go out, but not her.

He wouldn’t hear of it. “Get yourself presentable. We’re both going. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

They walked out as a team, and the moment Catra saw Adora, her heart lept. Adora, while presentable, looked a little out of it. Till she looked up, and their eyes met. Adora jumped out of the table and tackled Catra with a hug and tears.

Grog laughed. 

Catra hugged Adora back, whispering, “See, I didn’t run away.”

“Catra, it’s been six months!” Adora cried into her ear.

“Oh... I didn’t mean to be gone that long... I lost track of time.” She looked past Adora to Glimmer and Bow, who were staring at her with their mouths wide open. “What’s up with you two?”

Glimmer was holding a sealed envelop and she stood up. “You? You work here?”

Adora was not letting go of the hug, and so Catra had to talk around her hair. “I thought you guys knew that. Honestly, I thought that’s why you came here. It’s not like it’s been a secret.”

Bow looked like he was going to cry of joy. “We had no idea!”

Glimmer turned to Grog and ceremoniously handed him the letter. “I came to formally ask you to be the head Chef at Brightmoon because of your accolades.”

Grog smiled big. “I accept. I’m done scraping by.”

“As long as you’re willing to make tiny cakes and vegetarian every once in a while, I think you’ll do great.” 

“I’ll leave you all to catch up. Got to tell the kitchen staff we’re moving.”

Catra hugged Adora tighter. “Do you want to see my apartment?”

Adora nodded against her shoulder, in a pose very similar to the one she had taken before Catra left, except the tears were happy.

Melog pounced on Adora when she entered, and Adora laughed. Glimmer quietly commented, “She hasn’t laughed in months.” Catra felt a pang of guilt, but the laughter bubbling out of Adora’s throat was too good to let the guilt stay.

Adora finally got away from Melog and saw the room.

“It’s not much, but it’s been comfortable.”

“I love it!” Adora, like a dork, looked at every corner and crevice, out every window. “You can see the city from here. It’s a great view.”

Glimmer and Bow stood back. “It certainly is quaint,” Glimmer commented cautiously.

“We should probably give them a moment,” Bow suggested as he pulled Glimmer back out of the doorway. 

Adora, like an excited puppy, wanted to know everything about everything, but it was all tinged with a hint of sadness that Catra could pick up on. Catra told her everything she could. Adora wanted to know where she got her towels, how she picked her toothbrush, what music she listened to. It was all a distraction till Adora finally slowed down, and started crying. It hurt Catra just to see it, and she instinctively took Adora in a comforting embrace.

“I missed you so much, Catra. I thought I could do it, but I can’t. I went without you once, I don’t want to do it ever again.”

“I don’t think I need to be away anymore,” Catra’s voice broke a little as she said it, tears in her own eyes. “I think I’ve proven to myself I can create as easily as I can destroy. And, now I know how to cook. I can make you practically anything you want.”  
“I want you.” Adora sounded desperate. She leaned into a kiss, and Catra was caught off guard. Catra’s purr bubbled up, and it was the happiest thing Adora had heard in months.

Catra pulled away reluctantly. “That reminds me. I have something for you.”

“You do?” Adora said in her dumb hopeless voice.

Catra pulled away and got the box she had stashed away under her mattress. She held it to Adora and opened it toward her. Adora’s eyes shimmered. “It’s a diadem, for you princess. I saved up half my pay this whole time to get it.”

“It’s beautiful,” Adora gushed over it as she picked it up and started to put it on her neck.

Catra jumped in. “No, no. It goes on your head, Dumbass.” She helped Adora place it. “This means you’re mine now. I own you.”

Adora laughed, then looked at Catra lovingly in the eyes as she leaned in to touch foreheads, “Ok. I’m fine with that.”

***

Catra was a little worried about moving back to Brightmoon, but her fears were dashed when the first guards that saw her begged for HER autograph.


End file.
